Somethings that are broken with evaluation of university teaching

This article from a Training industry magazine raises a number of issues, well known in the research literature, about the significant limitations that exist with the evaluation of university teaching.

Essentially the only type of evaluation done at most universities is what the article refers to as “level 1 smile sheets”. That is student evaluation forms that ask them to rank what they felt they learn, what they felt about the course and the teacher. As Will Thalheimer describes

Smile sheets (the feedback forms we give learners after learning events) are an almost inevitable practice for training programs throughout the workplace learning industry. Residing at Donald Kirkpatrick’s 1st level—the Reaction level—smile sheets offer some benefits and some difficulties.

In some instances, there is not only a low correlation between Level I and subsequent levels of evaluation, but a negative one.

The emphasis on level 1 evaluation – why

Most interestingly, the article then asks the question, “why do so many training organisations, including universities, continue to rely on level 1 smile sheets?”

The answer it provides is that they are too scared to do them in case of what they find. It’s the ostrich approach of sticking the head in the sand.

What else should be done?

This google book search result offers some background on “level 1″ and talks about the other 3 levels. Another resource provides some insights and points to other resources. I’m sure if I dug further there would be a lot more information about alternatives.

Simply spreading the above findings amongst the folk at universities who rely and respond to findings of level 1 smile sheets might be a good start. Probably necessary to start moving beyond the status quo.